COVID-19 ALERT 15 | Philippine Updates & Travel Restrictions

14 May 2020

TO OUR VALUED PRINCIPALS & INDUSTRY PARTNERS

Good day!

Hope you are doing great.

Please see below Philippines updates for your reference:

Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine from May 16 – 31

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the proposal to place Metro Manila (where our Crystal IEAC is located), Laguna province, and Cebu City under a “Modified” Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from May 16 to May 31.

Under MECQ, the following policies & protocols will be observed:

limited movement within containment zone for obtaining essential services and work

operations of selected manufacturing and processing plants up to maximum of 50% workforce (the government is still finalizing which industries will be allowed to resume operations)

limited transporting services for essential goods and services

suspension of physical classes

Philippines NAIA to resume international flight arrivals for a month

In addition, the Philippines has allowed international flight arrivals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for a month from May 11 to June 12 per the advice of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). However, inbound international chartered flights will only be allowed to land on Mondays and Thursdays, provided they secure a clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs and CAAP for slotting purposes. In the same manner, inbound international commercial flights are allowed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. (See previous flight schedules for your reference, please note that we are only receiving this information around 12mn of the day)

Airlines must secure approval from CAAP 48 hours before their scheduled departure from their airport of origin. This is to enable NAIA to slot and reschedule flights in order to maintain its capacity limit of 400 passengers per day as a precaution against the pandemic. Said restrictions do not include cargo flights, medical supplies, utility and maintenance flights.

The above-mentioned restrictions greatly affect our crew change plans and thus please bear with us for instances wherein booked flights get cancelled in short notice by the airlines. Rest assured that we are on top of it and constantly monitoring flights and travel guidelines.